One embodiment relates to a device for controlling an IP core network including at least one router to an external data packet network and at least one switch connected to the router and to at least one base station of an access network. It may comprise a communication module configured to communicate with a mobility management entity of the core network and to receive information therefrom representative of a mobility state and/or an IP connectivity state of a terminal. It may comprise a module configured to update topology information representing connections between the router(s), the switch(es), the base station(s), and registered terminals, and to update at least some of the topology information as a function of the state information. It may comprise a control module configured to control the router(s) and/or the switch(es) with processing rules applied to data streams for the terminals, which are defined from the updated information.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer device for controlling an IP core network, said IP core network comprising at least one router to an external data packet network and at least one switch connected to said at least one router, said at least one switch being connected to at least one base station of an access network, said computer device comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: communicate with a mobility management entity of the IP core network and receive state information from said mobile management entity that is representative of a mobility state and/or an IP connectivity state of a terminal; update topology information representing connections existing between said at least one router, said at least one switch, said at least one base station, and terminals registered with the IP core network, wherein at least some of said topology information is updated as a function of said state information; and control said at least one router and/or said at least one switch via processing rules to be applied to data streams for said terminals registered with the IP core network, said processing rules being defined on the basis of said updated topology information.
2. A computer device according to claim 1 , wherein said processor is configured to add, modify and/or delete at least one entry in a flow table stored by said at least one router and/or said at least one switch and reflecting a processing rule.
3. A computer device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to communicate with said at least one router and said at least one switch via the OpenFlow™ protocol.
4. A computer having stored thereon instructions for performing a control method according to claim 1 when said instructions are executed by said computer.
5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for performing a control method according to claim 1 when said instructions are executed by a processor.
6. An IP core network comprising: at least one router to an external data packet network and at least one switch connected to said at least one router, said at least one switch being connected to at least one base station of an access network; a first computer device according to claim 1 and suitable for controlling said at least one router and said at least one switch; and a second computer device connected to said at least one base station, said second computer device configured to communicate with said at least one base station and receive from said at least one base station a message relating to a terminal; and communicate with the first computer device and transmit to said first computer device state information representative of a mobility state and/or an IP connectivity state of said terminal, said state information derived from said message.
7. A computer device according to claim 1 , wherein said state information received from the mobility management entity is representative of at least one state selected from the group consisting of: a state of being registered or not registered with the IP core network; and a state of being connected or idle.
8. A computer device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control both said at least one router and said at least one switch via the processing rules defined on the basis of said updated topology information.
9. A control method for implementation by a control device for controlling an IP core network comprising at least one router to an external data packet network and at least one switch connected to said at least one router, said at least one switch being connected to at least one base station of an access network, said method comprising: receiving state information from a mobility management entity of the IP core network, said state information being representative of a mobility state and/or an IP connectivity state of a terminal; as a function of said state information, updating topology information representative of connections existing between said at least one router, said at least one switch, said at least one base station, and terminals registered with the core network; and controlling said at least one router and/or at least one switch via processing rules to be applied to data streams for said terminals registered with the IP core network, said processing rules being defined on the basis of said updated topology information.
10. A control method according to claim 9 , wherein said state information received from the mobility management entity is representative of at least one state selected from the group consisting of: a state of being registered or not registered with the IP core network; and a state of being connected or idle.
11. A control method according to claim 9 , wherein said state information received from the mobility management entity further comprises an identifier of a base station of an access network to which said terminal is attached and/or an identifier of the terminal.
12. A control method according to claim 9 , wherein said controlling comprises adding, modifying, and/or deleting at least one entry in a flow table stored by said at least one router and/or said at least one switch and reflecting a processing rule.
13. A control method according to claim 9 , further comprising, prior to said receiving, sending a message to said mobility management entity informing it that a router of the IP core network has received a packet for a terminal that is registered with the IP core network and that is in an idle IP connectivity state.
14. A control method according to claim 9 , further comprising interrogating a dynamic IP address configuration server of the IP core network in order to obtain a valid IP address for a terminal, said interrogation process being triggered by a message received from said mobility management entity.
15. A control method according to claim 9 , wherein said controlling comprises controlling both said at least one router and said at least one switch via the processing rules defined on the basis of said updated topology information.
16. A computer device of an IP core network, said computer device being connected to at least one base station of an access network and comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive from a control device of the IP core network a message indicating that a router of the IP core network has received a packet for a terminal that is registered with the IP core network and that is in an idle IP connectivity state; send to a base station a request seeking to trigger connection of said terminal with said base station; communicate with said base station and receive from said base station a message relating to the terminal; and communicate with the control device of the IP core network and transmit to said control device state information representative of a mobility state and/or an IP connectivity state of said terminal, said state information derived from said message.
17. A communication method for communicating with a control device of an IP core network, the IP network connected to at least one base station of an access network, the method performed by a mobility management entity of said IP core network and comprising: receiving from said control device a message indicating that a router of the IP core network has received a packet for a terminal that is registered with the IP core network and that is in an idle IP connectivity state; and sending to a base station connected to said mobility management entity a request seeking to trigger connection of said terminal with said base station; receiving from said base station a message about the terminal; and sending to said control device of the IP core network state information representative of a mobility state and/or an IP connectivity state of said terminal, said state information derived from said message.
18. A computer having stored thereon instructions for performing the communication method according to claim 17 when said instructions are executed by said computer.
19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for performing the communication method according to claim 17 when said instructions are executed by a processor.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 26, 2014
December 25, 2018
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.